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Police favor proposed firearms restriction bills in Kansas, Missouri

Lawmakers in both Kansas and Missouri are pushing a common anti-violence bill that would allow police to temporarily take guns out of the hands of people who pose a risk of hurting themselves or others.

Lawmakers in both Kansas and Missouri are pushing a common anti-violence bill that would allow police to temporarily take guns out of the hands of people who pose a risk of hurting themselves or others.

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Updated: 9:27 PM CST Feb 11, 2015

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WEBVTT TO A HOSPITAL. LEGISLATORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STATE LINE ARE PUSHING AN ANTI-VIOLENCE BILL. LEN: THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE GUNS OUT OF THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO POSE A RISK OF HURTING THEMSELVES OR OTHERS. ANYONE WHO'S CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY OR SOMEONE ELSE'S WOULD BE ABLE TO REQUEST A COURT HEARING. LARA: LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOW STANDING BEHIND THIS BILL. KMBC 9'S KISHA HENRY SHOWS US THE PROPOSED LAW THAT WAS MEANT TO HELP VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS WOULD ULTIMATELY HELP POLICE OFFICERS, TOO. OFFICER JOEL PORTER: WE'RE HEADING TOWARDS THE NORTH PART OF PRAIRIE VILLAGE ON A DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE. KISHA: PRAIRIE VILLAGE POLICE SAY DOMESTIC CALLS ARE ONE OF THEIR MOST DANGEROUS CALLS. EACH MONTH ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 48 WOMEN ARE SHOT TO DEATH BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER. FROM 1980 TO 2005, 157 OFFICERS LOST THEIR LIVES RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS. THESE STATISTICS AND NUMBERS ARE REAL PEOPLE. FOR INSTANCE, IT MAY SURPRISE YOU TO KNOW THAT ALL OF THESE ARE ACTIVE RESTRAINING ORDERS IN MISSION HILLS AND PRAIRIE VILLAGE RIGHT NOW. EACH OF THESE PEOPLE HAS A VICTIM WHO COULD BE PROTECTED BY THIS BILL. CHIEF WES JORDAN: IN THE RECENT FIVE YEARS, WE ARE PROBABLY RECOVERING MORE FIREARMS FROM MENTAL ILLNESS CALLS THAN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS. KISHA: CHIEF WES JORDAN SAYS THERE ARE TOO MANY LOOPHOLES IN THE SYSTEM FOR MENTAL ILLNESS. HE REMEMBERS RESPONDING TO A SUICIDE CALL AND RESCUING THE MAN BEFORE HE SHOT HIMSELF. OFFICERS CONFISCATED HIS WEAPONS ONLY TO HAVE A PSYCHOLOGIST RECOMMEND THE WEAPONS BE RETURNED. CHIEF WES JORDAN: YOU KNOW THIS IS NOT RIGHT. THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S NO LAW THAT'S PREVENTING IT. KISHA: WEEKS LATER, THEY RECEIVED ANOTHER SUICIDE CALL FROM THE SAME MAN. CHIEF WES JORDAN: HE QUIT TALKING NO MATTER WHAT I TRIED. FINALLY, HE SHOT HIMSELF WHILE I WAS TALKING TO HIM. KISHA: CHIEF JORDAN SAYS THIS LEGISLATION ISN'T ABOUT TAKING AWAY ALL GUNS, BUT RATHER ABOUT SAVING MORE LIVES AND KEEPING VICTIMS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SAFE. KISHA HENRY, KMBC 9 NEWS. LARA: RIGHT NOW IN JOHNSON COUNTY, THERE'S A SIMILAR SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR FIREARM RESTRICTIONS, BUT OFFICERS SAY

Police favor proposed firearms restriction bills in Kansas, Missouri

Lawmakers in both Kansas and Missouri are pushing a common anti-violence bill that would allow police to temporarily take guns out of the hands of people who pose a risk of hurting themselves or others.